


never gone

by captaincastello



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff and Angst, Loss, M/M, Post-Canon, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 17:45:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14938940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincastello/pseuds/captaincastello
Summary: Markus blinks twice. He has to, because suddenly he can’t believe his eyes, can’t control the sudden bolt of lightning striking his entire body.Outlined in the faint light against the horizon, standing alone among the ruins is the person he had always wanted to see, who for so long remained elusive; out of reach, out of sight, yet never for a moment out of mind.Simon.





	never gone

**Author's Note:**

> my angst-loving ass ain't quite done yet, so, here...  
> also right now i'm kind of too tired and emotional to proofread this, so i might do that another day or something... anyways!  
> enjoy and RIP to me

The battered bulk of the old ship rose high to the sky, blocking out a portion of the carpet of night; its iron body eaten by differently sized holes, each telling the story of a struggle that once took the entire nation by storm— _Jericho_ , once their only refuge, their secret escape, now remains sitting quietly on still, dark waters.

Once, in its prime, it might have been a magnificent ship that traveled thousands of nautical miles under its belt. Now, many years later, it melds quite well with the rest of the forgotten rusty old crates and other aquatic vessels, surviving the times miraculously, Markus notes, considering how intense the battle had been only a few months ago. Not even the bomb set at its heart could take it down, it seems. Stubborn, like her leader, he thinks with a slight chuckle.

With careful calculated steps, he moves forward, feet navigating through rust and ruin. Even with minimal visibility, he can still remember which winding hallways lead to which rooms, which flight of stairs led to which upper deck walkway or what section of the ship. He walks some more until he reaches the other end of the worn out vessel, where the sound of the sea was closer. Porous holes slice moonlight into threads that fall onto the dusty floor in indefinite shapes; one entire section of wall to his right is obliterated completely, letting in the smell of salt and giving away to a high drop to the cold waters below.

He freezes. Not because of the cold, but—

Markus blinks twice. He has to, because suddenly he can’t believe his eyes, can’t control the sudden bolt of lightning striking his entire body.

Outlined in the faint light against the horizon, standing alone among the ruins is the person he had always wanted to see, who for so long remained elusive; out of reach, out of sight, yet never for a moment out of mind.

 _Simon_.

As if on cue, as if the universe alerted him so, Simon turns around, and their gazes finally connect, dichromatic eyes locking in on pure beautiful azure. Without a doubt, Markus knows—this is the PL600 model who was closest to his heart—this is his Simon.

Markus charges forward—to hell be with the fragile flooring—as Simon leaves the open air to meet him halfway.

_Where have you been all this time? How did you live your new life as a free android? Were you happy, were you ever lonely? Why didn’t you ask me to come with you so I could at least ask you to stay?_

The questions come flooding his brain in waves, yet are instantly pushed down his throat as Simon catches Markus by tongue and teeth, presses their bodies closer in a desperate attempt to make up for lost time and lost opportunities, hands clumsy all over each other, eager to hold, to latch on.

When they pull apart, Markus lets out a shaky laugh, as if tears had filled his esophagus.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Markus says, his voice small, as he presses their foreheads together. “If I had won my freedom but lost you, that would have been the greatest tragedy.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon whispers back, his grip tight around Markus’ arms. “I never wanted to make you worry.”

“It’s okay now,” Markus says. “You’re here, and that’s all that matters.”

Untold to anyone but Carl, Markus always continued to search for Simon everywhere—in each crowded street, in busy subway stations, in every packed room—always watching for a shadow of him, walking silently and blending into the faceless crowds, maybe waiting to be found.

“How long have you been in here?”

“… a while,” Simon replies. “This place isn’t much, but this was the closest thing to home after I was kicked out.”

“I know,” Markus says gently as his hand reaches up to cup the side of Simon’s face, eyes flooding with understanding.

“Besides, I get this pretty awesome view without any charge,” Simon continues, gesturing the open sea beyond the large cavity that was once a wall. Far away where the dark velvet sky kisses the sea, once the fog clears, the stars look unlimited. Somewhere to the side, shrouded by the grey of fog, the blinking lights of the city illuminate the night.

Yes, back then, when all they had were each other, their people—this place was synonymous to home. But Markus knows that isn’t quite the entire truth. Home was synonymous to where he and his people felt safe, accepted. Even after _Jericho_ fell, and they lost the fortress, all was not lost. Because they knew they had a rightful place in the world somehow, somewhere to call home.

And for Markus, his home right now is in his hands.

He’s not one to let go a second time.

“It’s getting late,” Markus says, facing the horizon. Down below, slivers of moon swim amongst the waves rocking the large ship to eternal slumber. “Let's go home, Simon.”

Simon remains still for a second, his eyes gently studying Markus’ hands. Then, “You know that’s not possible, Markus.”

“What…?” Markus begins, but falters as something heavy comes creeping up in the pit of his stomach. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

“Idiot. I’m always with you,” Simon whispers, his blue eyes finally reflecting Markus back, now brighter with the shimmer of tears. “Even after this, just know that I’m always close by.”

His hand goes up to press against Markus’ chest, where his heart is. Where _Simon’s_ heart is.

“Thank you… for coming back.”

A push—Markus swears he feels it right where Simon’s hand is— _was_ —and he stumbles backward, feet taking him out from under _Jericho’s_ shadow. Somehow, _they—he_ had made his way back to the foot of the ship in the blink of an eye, away from the water, away from—

“Simon--!” Markus calls out, but even then he already knew, before the clouds parted to reveal the moon, before the moon cast her light upon the wreckage that was once _Jericho_ —that he would not find Simon standing there, smiling back at him to assure him everything was alright.

It’s just simply impossible.

Not with the one thing keeping him alive always reminding him what he could never take back.

Markus sinks to his knees, sinks into to the darkness swallowing him from the inside.  In his head, he repeats Simon’s voice like a mantra, trying to soothe reopened wounds he wonders has a cure for. Sometimes he wonders if it’s better to be an emotionless android, living in ignorant non-bliss, a natural preprogrammed indifference.

But losing his emotions completely would mean disregarding everything that Simon was—still is—to him, rendering his bond with Carl an empty void, throwing all he has been fighting for to naught. He can’t afford to do that. That kind of Markus isn’t the one Simon pledged his loyalty and heart to, not the friend who fought alongside North and Josh and Connor, not the leader his people trusts, not the son Carl nurtured him to be.

He needs to be stronger than this.

He needs to keep pushing onward, forward, beyond.

Continue building the home he and Simon had envisioned together with their people.

A home in which the memory of their fallen comrades will live on forever.

Markus slowly picks himself up, dries his tears, stands up a little bit straighter. He casts one last look at the hallow bulk of the ship, and mutters a silent promise to Simon.

He turns and walks away, eyes and feet directed forward.

**Author's Note:**

> p.s.  
> i was going back and forth between this, and a much darker idea...  
> in which Markus just lost Carl, and Detroit is slowly adapting to the changes and Markus sees that they can go on without him, which makes it easier to part ways. so he came to Jericho to die silently, except he "meets" Simon again, who even as a spirit, saves him from dying, again.... (cue ambiguous android afterlife rules)  
> but i totally omitted the part where Carl is gone, because I can't stand thinking of Markus totally alone ;;~;; and I love who Carl is to Markus, I wish them many happy years as father and son ;;~;;  
> anyways  
> thank you so much for reading my piece!  
> kudos/comments are love <3


End file.
